The arrest of Bruna Caroline Ferreira, a Brazilian woman with indirect family ties to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, has generated national attention and questions about how ICE operates in cases of alleged longstanding immigration violations.
Ferreira was arrested in Revere, Massachusetts, as confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security(DHS), and currently remains in custody at the South Louisiana Processing Center, one of the facilities where ICE holds immigrants in protracted proceedings.
No direct political impact
The case gained prominence because Ferreira is the mother of the son of Karoline Leavitt’s brother, New Hampshire resident Michael Leavitt.
He confirmed the information to local media, although he clarified that he would not comment further for the child’s privacy.
Michael is currently married and has two children with his wife.
Karoline Leavitt, for her part, told News 9 that she had no comment on the arrest and has not had a close relationship with Ferreira for many years.
White House officials also stressed that this is a family matter outside of the spokeswoman’s official duties.
ICE claims that the woman overstayed her visa by 26 years.
According to ICE, Bruna Caroline Ferreira allegedly overstayed her authorized period of stay after entering on a tourist visa that expired in 1999.
This means an alleged excess of more than 26 years.
According to the agency, this immigration violation is sufficient to justify their detention and transfer to a processing center.
However, his lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, maintains that the official version is incomplete.
And that Ferreira arrived legally in the United States, met the requirements to be a beneficiary of the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program and is currently in the process of adjusting her status to obtain a Green Card.
Pomerleau claimed that ICE is ignoring documents that his team would have submitted in previous years to demonstrate their continued presence, good moral character and compliance with requirements.
Controversy over alleged prior charges
ICE also claims that Ferreira has faced assault-related charges in the past, although Buzzy did not detail dates or jurisdictions.
The lawyer categorically denied it: “Bruna has no criminal record. I don’t know where that comes from. Let them show the evidence. There are no charges.
Pomerleau added that labeling immigrants with no criminal history as “criminals” is part of a pattern that he said has intensified in recent years.
The case reflects a broader reality
The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) recently published that 5.3 million children live in the U.S. with at least one parent who has irregular immigration status.
This includes families where one parent is a U.S. citizen and the other is not, mixed-status households, and cases like Michael Leavitt’s.
Her son with Ferreira is a U.S. citizen but may be impacted by his mother’s detention.
Experts point out that parental arrests can affect children emotionally.
In addition to generating economic insecurity and creating complex legal processes, especially when there are disputed custody or pending immigration proceedings.
Ferreira’s legal process continues
For now, Ferreira remains in Louisiana while an immigration judge evaluates his case.
His attorney indicated that he will request an expedited hearing and present evidence of his eligibility for residency.
No public hearing date has been set at this time.
This case illustrates how complex and lengthy immigration processes can be, even for people who entered the country legally.
And it demonstrates how strict enforcement of the law can affect not only the immigrant, but also his or her citizen children and close relatives.
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